Hacksaw construction



J1me 1 A. s. E. REUTERFORS 3,

HACKSAW CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 10, 1965 United States Patent 3,327,748HACKSAW CONSTRUCTION Aldor S. E. Reuterfors, Rockford, Ill., assignor toEstwing Manufacturing Company, Inc., Rockford, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Filed Nov. 10, 1965. Ser. No. 507,190 7 Claims. (Cl. 14533)This invention relates to an improved hacksaw construction.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved hacksaw whichcan be selectively utilized with saw blades of different lengths.

Another object is to provide a hacksaw having improved means for holdingthe blade to inhibit vibration during use.

A further object is to provide an improved hacksaw wherein the blade canbe selectively positioned between a central position and a positionadjacent the side of its frame and wherein the blade can be selectivelypositioned at an angle from the frame.

Still another object is to provide a hacksaw having an improved meansfor holding spare blades.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed specification When taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG.1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring to these figures, the hacksaw, generally designated 10,comprises a frame assembly having a longitudinal body portion 12, afront leg 14, and a rear leg 16. A handle 18 is attached to the frameassembly and spaced rearwardly of the rear leg 16. In this manner, therear leg 16 serves as a guard for the hand of a user. Preferably, arigid member 19 is connected to the handle and the rear leg adjacent thelower ends thereof to further assure a rigid mounting of the handle onthe frame assembly.

Front leg 14 has an opening 21 passing therethrough and located adjacentthe lower end thereof. An element 22 passes through the opening and hasa laterally offset portion adjacent one end thereof describing bladeengaging faces 23 and 24. Blade engaging face 23 is locatedsubstantially at the center line of the hacksaw and outer blade engagingface 24 preferably is located adjacent the side of front leg 14, as bestseen in FIG. 2. A pin or stud 25 extends outwardly from each bladeengaging face to be received in the opening adjacent an end of anordinary hacksaw blade .13. The other end of element 22 is convenientlythreaded for receiving a fastener 26. The fastener may be detached forremoval of the element 22 to change the location of blade engaging face24, as hereinafter desribed.

Rear leg 16 preferably has an opening 31 passing therethrough adjacentthe lower end thereof. Handle 18 has an opening 32 passing therethroughand preferably coaxial with opening 31. In one position an element 34passes through openings 31 and 32 and has a threaded end portion forreceipt of fastener 35 for a purpose which will hereinafter becomeapparent. The other end of element 34 is similar to the end of element22 and includes an offset portion describing a generally fiat bladeengaging face 37 located generally at the center of rear leg 16 and anouter blade engaging face 38 substantially at the side of rear leg 16.Each face has a stud 25 extending outwardly therefrom for engaging anopening adjacent the other end of the ordinary hacksaw blade B. Byselecting one of the two pair of studs, the blade B is adjustablebetween a position substantially on the center line of the hacksaw (FIG.2) and a position generally at the side of the hacksaw as shown inphantom in FIG. 2. This latter position is advantageous for sawingadjacent an obstruction, for example.

As best seen in FIG. 4, opening 31 is generally in the shape of aneight-sided star whereby element 34 may be selectively positioned in anyof eight positions disposed generally 45 from the adjacent positions.Opening 21 is preferably similarly shaped and opening 32 is convenientlyso shaped (FIG. 2). By removing fasteners 26 and 35, elements 22 and 34may be removed from the opening and selectively repositioned therebyallowing blade B to assume any of the various positions.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the axis of openings 31 and32, as designated by line 40, is oblique to a line connecting pins 25and 25 and to the edge of blade B, as designated by line 41. As fastener35 is tightened against the backside 18' of handle 18 and pin 25' ismoved toward the rear of the hacksaw, the blade B and element 34 try toassume a straight line. Since their relative axes are oblique to eachother, this force causes the blade to urge element 34 upwardly againstthe top of opening 31. This arrangement, wherein element 34 is tiltedwith respect to the blade, inhibits rattling or vibrations when the sawis being used. It should be noted that element 34 is pressed or forcedin the same direction as pressure applied on the saw blade during use inan ordinary position generally coplanar with the legs, as shown. Bytilting element 34 in this manner, the rear end of blade B is disposeddownwardly from the lower surfaces of rear leg 16, handle 18 andfastener 35, thereby advantageously providing clearance of the rear legabove the plane of the teeth at the lower edge of the blade.

A salient feature of the present invention is its adjustability for useof blades of different lengths. Fastener 35 may be removed and element34 extended toward the front leg. In the embodiment illustrated, the endof element 34 is withdrawn from slot 32 in the handle and the fastener35 is repositioned for tightening against the backside 16' of rear leg16, as shown in phantom in FIG. 1. The hacksaw is then adapted for useof a relatively shorter blade designated B. For this purpose, it will benoted that the backside 16' of rear leg 16 is spaced from the handle 18a distance sufiicient for positioning fastener 35 therebetween.Likewise, member 19 is attached to the leg and handle at a positionwhich allows operative use of the fastener. In the present embodiment,the parts are arranged so that shorter blade B, in ordinary positionshown, has its cutting edge at a more acute angle to element 34 thanlonger blade B. This is caused by the shorter length of blade B andprovides clearance of the repositioned fastener 35 (shown in phantom inFIG. 1) above the plane of the cutting edge.

In its preferred form, the body portion 12 has a generally I-shapedcross section including a web portion 42 and flanges 43 and 44 attachedat either side of the web. A blade holder, generally designated 46, islocated intermediate the ends of the body portion for holding a spareblade B" generally contiguous to the web 42. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 3, the blade holder comprises a generallychannel-shaped plate 48 located between the flanges and attached theretoby any convenient means. A spring in the form of leaf spring 49 isattached to the plate 48 and has its end 49' disposed adjacent the web42 for holding a blade snugly thereagainst. As shown, a plurality ofblades may 'be held by the blade holder and are inserted into thisposition simply by slipping the blade between the leaf spring and web.The blade is easily withdrawn by a reversal of this operation.

It is now deemed obvious that the present invention provides means forsecurely holding a blade in operating position so that there is norattling during use and that blades of various length may be utilized.It has been seen that the blade may be positioned either at the centerline of the hacksaw, adjacent either edge thereof, or in various otherpositions, and that the saw has means for storing a convenient supply ofspare blades.

While I have thus described a preferred embodiment of my invention thishas been done by way of illustration and not limitation and I do notwish to be limited except as required by the appended claims.

Iclairn:

1. A hacksaw comprising: a longitudinal body having front and rear ends,a front leg attached to the body adjacent its front end, rear leg meansattached to the body adjacent its rear end, first means on said frontleg for receiving and holding one end of a saw blade, second means onthe rear leg means for receiving and holding the other end of the sawblade and adjustable for receiving blades of different lengths, saidrear leg means having front and rear longitudinally spaced bosses eachhaving a longitudinal opening extending the-rethrough, said openingsarranged generally coaxial with each other, said second means includingan elongate element extending through said openings in one position toaccommodate a blade of one length, a fastener engaged with said elementand said rear boss when the element is in said one position, saidelongate element selectively slidable in said openings to a secondposition to accommodate a blade of another length, and said fastenerengaged with the element and said front boss when the element is in saidsecond position.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said first and second means eachinclude at least one laterally extending pin shaped for engaging anaperture adjacent an end of the blade, and wherein the axis of theopenings is oblique to a line connecting said pins so that tightening ofthe fastener forces the element against a side of the front boss openingnearest the body.

3. The article of claim 2 wherein the axis of the openings is at anacute angle to the line connecting the pins, and said angle having asize that the blade held by the pins has its cutting edge at a levelbeyond the extremities of the bosses and fastener. I

4. The article of claim 1 wherein said rear leg means includes a secondleg attached to the body adjacent its rear end and a handle portionattached to the body and spaced rearwardly of the second leg whereby therear leg protects the hand of a user, and wherein said front boss is onthe second leg and said rear boss is on the handle portion.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein the front boss opening has oppositeflat sides and the element has opposite fiat sides to oppose those ofthe front boss opening, said element having a blade-engaging enddisposed between the front leg and rear leg means, the blade-engagingend being laterally offset from the axis of the openings and havingfirst and second flat surfaces, said first surface generally coplanarwith the rear leg means, said second surface disposed adjacent a side ofthe rear leg means, said first means on the front leg having ablade-engaging end similarly shaped as the blade-engaging end of theelement and having a first flat surface generally coplanar with thefront leg and a second flat surface disposed adjacent a side of thefront leg, a pin extending laterally from each of said surfaces of theblade-engaging ends and shaped for engaging and opening adjacent an endof the blade whereby the blade may be selectively positioned adjacentthe sides of the legs in one position and generally coplanar with thelegs in another position.

6. The article of claim 5 wherein said front boss opening is generallysquare and the element has generally flat sides to oppose those of theopening, and wherein said first means on the front leg is located closerto the body than a continuation of the axis of the openings wherebytightening of the fastener forces the element against the portion of therear leg opening nearest the body.

7. The article of claim 5 wherein said front boss opening is shaped forreceiving said element in various positions arranged in multiples of 45from the plane of the legs, wherein said front leg has an openingtherethrough similarly shaped as the front boss opening, and wherein thefirst means on the front leg includes a second element passing throughthe front leg opening and a fastener engaged with the second element andthe front leg to hold the second element in selected position, wherebythe blade may be selectively disposed in various positions in multiplesof 45 from the plane of the legs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 925,112 6/1909 Leland -324972,085 10/1910 Nacey 30--166 1,540,201 6/ 1925 Voltz. 1,674,206 6/ 1928Kness 30-166 2,658,541 11/ 1953 He-uneman 145-34- 3,082,803 3/ 1963'Dickstein 14534 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,368,856 6/1964 France.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. R, V. IARKER, 1a., AssistantExaminer,

1. A HACKSAW COMPRISING: A LONGITUDINAL BODY HAVING FRONT AND REAR ENDS, A FRONT LEG ATTACHED TO THE BODY ADJACENT ITS FRONT END, REAR LEG MEANS ATTACHED TO THE BODY ADJACENT ITS REAR END, FIRST MEANS ON SAID FRONT LEG FOR RECEIVING AND HOLDING ONE END OF A SAW BLADE, SECOND MEANS ON THE REAR LEG MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND HOLDING THE OTHER END OF THE SAW BLADE AND ADJUSTABLE FOR RECEIVING BLADES OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS, SAID REAR LEG MEANS HAVING FRONT AND REAR LONGITUDINALLY SPACED BOSSES EACH HAVING LONGITUDINAL OPENING EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, SAID OPENINGS ARRANGED GENERALLY COAXIAL WITH EACH OTHER, SAID SECOND MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATE ELEMENT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENINGS IN ONE POSITION TO ACCOMMODATE A BLADE OF ONE LENGTH, A FASTENER ENGAGED WITH SAID ELEMENT AND SAID REAR BOSS WHEN THE ELEMENT IS IN SAID ONE POSITION, SAID ELONGATE ELEMENT SELECTIVELY SLIDABLE IN SAID OPENINGS TO A SECOND POSITION TO ACCOMODATE A BLADE OF ANOTHER LENGTH, AND SAID FASTENER ENGAGED WITH THE ELEMENT AND SAID FRONT BOSS WHEN THE ELEMENT IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION. 